New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-04
A RIOT PREVENTED IN JERSEY CITY.

A RlOI Prevented IN JERSEY CITY,
EFFICIENT ACTION BY THE PoLICE-AN ATTEMPT
TO INVADE THE ERIE FREIGHT PIER
A threatened riot at the Erie Railway Company's
freight piers in Jersey City last evening prevented
by Chief OF Police Murphy who had about thirty regular
policemen and as many specials to back him. The
serves ut that point while not duty housed in .
car standing on side track near Provostst About $50
Sergeant Heath left the and outpo IT Al
Hendersonst There had been some trouble In the n
Ing and Mr. Murphy had told his men to be
on the alert few moments after Heath left
the he back and yelled to the reserves The
policemen umbed ont of tpe and confronted about
100 strikers who going down the passenger track
at double quick The strikers stopped by the police
and moment later Mr. Murphy arrived While parley.
ing with the leader who said they going
depot, the Chief caught glimpse Of
large body OF strikers running
double quick down the track leading freight pier
where $50 Italians were at work He realized at once
that the sorue of the first party merely ruse and
he ordered his TO face about and Then there
was exciting between the police and the main
body Of strikers. The distance TO the pier was fully
half mile Several long freight trains pre-
vented the policemen from crossing over
to the track down which the strikers were
running, but Sergeant Heath and Policeman RUSSELL al
the risk OF their lives, crossed between two OF
moving train and hastened TO head of the mob. The
police reached the entrance to pier No just ahead OF
the mob quickly formed in line and ordered the
mob to halt. Police whistles were blown to
summon assistance and several regulars and a largo
number OF specials responded. The majority Of the
specials drew their clubs and prepared for action but
number OF them pulled Off their Shields dropped their
clubs and skunk away In the meantime Chief Murphy
demanded the leaders strikers they
going and what they wanted The leader said they
were going down ON the pier and they had right TO
there.
exclaimed reSDlutetV
We have right, aud we are going" answered the
spokesman OF the mob.
- / know what you want" said the Chief You are
bent Oh committing murder you did IN 1882. You
cant go on the pier and you must CO., :, ,
in mob the crowd behind pushed those in frons
forward At the saiue moment some one threw a stone
which struck policeman standing Chief Murphy.
That was all the Chief was waiting for.
them he sone and the I pdce a enatsed on hs
mob with Irresistible force Swinging their long night
h they srs6 head wherever I'll they saw and as
tried fall back. They could not. however. because
those IN the rear were pn hing forward but after brief
experience of vigorous clubbing the mob fed every H.
up and materially FASTENED their flight As the pursued
and tho up through the open space between
lilo Erie and the Delaware Lackawanna and Western
tracks the PinkertOn detectives came out and formed In
line, but Inspector LANCE ordered them to take
no part IN the affair unless they received
Of the IinkcrOn the Inspector with his squad OK
regulars and Captain Newton with his squad Joined the
right flank of Chief Murphys force and helped chase
the strikers The latter made brief stand at Hender-
sOn-st. hut another application OF police clubs started
them moving again. tormore than an hour the police
secured the ncighbOrOOd and dispersed every group OF
strikers standing the Mr.. Murphy informed
them that they would not lie allowed to congre-
gate on the streets again while the strike
continued. The Chief says the vigorous course
he pursued prompted by the fact thai during the
strike IN l5s2 the freight pursued precisely tho
tactics While gang of them engaged the aten-
OF the police another gang forced their way down "a
the pier violently assaulted the Italian aborers who had
taken their places and drove OF them into tho
river. Two or three drowned
There violence attempted at any other point
An e1gy hung "a telegraph pole in Greenst near
Grand-st, at a. yesterday aud caused considerable
excitement for time rlmor gained extensive circu-
latOn that the strikers had hanged a % scdb."
the Erie freight piers the crowd of Italians handled all
the freight they could The Pennsy Railroad did
employ any yesterday. SupeTiniend
ent den and his force OF checkers clerks and oremen
handled freight all day aud did considerable work. Mr..
Tilden anxious to get off special freight The
thirty fOur old hands AZ the local freight depot who
fused 10 join the strikers on Wednesday remained 1t
work yesterday aud by little extra cXert0n managed 10
keep things moving. Seven Italians who Oh their
way from the Delaware. Lackawanna and Western piers
attacked by hOodums IA HcndersOn-st, but took
refuge in feed and remained there until police
man drove the crowd away The policeman escorted the
Italians TO their homes
Twenty-Five strikers went 10 the West Shore Railroad
COmpany's yard In Ncchawkeu aud compelled
brakemen TO qHt work. The brakemen were putting
loaded coal floats The strikers afterward visited
the yard master and told him he must join the strikers.
liz said he would IL they would guarantee him his salary
for indefinite PERIOD but not Otherwis As soon az
the delegation went away work resumed
The steamship companies in Jersey City and Hob0ken
have had little trouble In getting 10 take the
places OF the striking 'longshoremen